HomePod software now based on tvOS instead of iOS, report claims

Posted:
in General Discussion edited November 2020
Apple's HomePod operating system is now reportedly based on tvOS instead of iOS, according to a recent analysis of the firmware's code.




The 13.4 operating system update for HomePod was released in March, alongside new versions of iOS, iPadOS and tvOS. At the time, release notes claimed performance improvements and bug fixes, but it appears Apple made a larger change to HomePod's OS that escaped notice until now.

While the HomePod 13.4 software update contained no major user-facing features, 9to5Mac found that the firmware now runs on Apple's tvOS operating system instead of iOS.

Both tvOS and the software that runs on HomePod are variants of iOS, so while there are small differences, the underlying core of the operating systems are the same.

Word of the transition to tvOS arrives after Bloomberg on Monday reported that Apple was working on a new HomePod model that would be about half the size of the original and is expected to retail for a lower price.

Stay on top of all Apple news right from your HomePod or HomePod mini. Say, "Hey, Siri, play AppleInsider Daily," and you'll get a fast update direct from the AppleInsider team.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    This might explain why my TV 4K finally connects to my HomePod every time now.  It was driving me nuts before.
    So, in that case, it's good!  Might be coincidence, but it never worked right before.
    gregoriusmtmayrazorpitwatto_cobrasteveau
  • Reply 2 of 20
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,328member
    or maybe there's a HomePod Video on the horizon ... to go up against the Echo Show. 
    cornchipScot1flyingdpwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 20
    You’re going to be able to pair them with Apple TV as left and right channel like Roku’s speakers (can you not do this already?) and they’ll sell a bunch. I just hope it’s not exclusive to the yet-to-be-released Apple TV upgrade.
    razorpitchristopher126watto_cobrasteveau
  • Reply 4 of 20
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    They should add a mesh router. 
    cornchiptmaydavenpujones1gregoriusmpscooter63Scot1flyingdpkimberlywilliamlondon
  • Reply 5 of 20
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,350member
    I hope not having an AppleTV in now way affects updates, or that Apple sloughs off on Siri and music applications.

    iOS HomeKit Siri sucked. I have no hope that it will get better on tvOS for us non-tvOS people, or at least not worse, if that's even possible.
    PatchyThePirateV.2williamlondon
  • Reply 6 of 20
    davendaven Posts: 696member
    Rayz2016 said:
    They should add a mesh router. 
    That would be cool. I also saw a suggestion somewhere that it could also be turned into the new Apple TV with a HDMI output. With the latest processor it could be a speaker, a mesh router, an AppleTV, a gaming console. Hmm... Just like the introduction of the iPhone... A speaker, a mesh router, an AppleTV, a gaming console.... That said, considering they laid off their router design staff, I don't see that happening. But it would be fun.
    Scot1williamlondonrazorpitwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 20
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    dewme said:
    or maybe there's a HomePod Video on the horizon ... to go up against the Echo Show. 

    This is sarcasm right? HomePod was never an Echo competitor.
    lolliverStrangeDays
  • Reply 8 of 20
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member
    You’re going to be able to pair them with Apple TV as left and right channel like Roku’s speakers (can you not do this already?) and they’ll sell a bunch. I just hope it’s not exclusive to the yet-to-be-released Apple TV upgrade.
    They’ve already been able to do this, since launch even I think. 
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 20
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member

    Just one example: I tried searching for the (hilarious) show “Documentary Now!” but Siri is unable to find it because of the exclamation point in the title. How could Siri be that bad? Unbelievable. 
    Did you try yelling it?
    BeatsuraharaCloudTalkinchristopher126watto_cobraAlex1N
  • Reply 10 of 20
    WgkruegerWgkrueger Posts: 352member
    As another site pointed out, neither of the  devices need power management and the HomePod and one of the current gen Apple TV’s are running an A8 processor so the tvOS branch will probably continue to support that while iOS and ipadOS will drop that support.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 20
    jonrojonro Posts: 64member
    Try saying “Documentary Now Exclamation Point.”

    Oh great, now Siri can suck just as bad as it does on the Apple TV.

    How can Siri still be so terrible, even at basic, rote tasks?

    Just one example: I tried searching for the (hilarious) show “Documentary Now!” but Siri is unable to find it because of the exclamation point in the title. How could Siri be that bad? Unbelievable. 



    watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 20
    bsimpsenbsimpsen Posts: 398member
    This might explain why my TV 4K finally connects to my HomePod every time now.  It was driving me nuts before.
    So, in that case, it's good!  Might be coincidence, but it never worked right before.
    It's still not working for either of our AppleTV/HomePod setups. It's a complete mess. We have to re-link the TV and HomePods several times per evening. Simply switching out of one app and into another dumps or screws up the pairing.
    razorpit
  • Reply 13 of 20
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    dewme said:
    or maybe there's a HomePod Video on the horizon ... to go up against the Echo Show. 

    Well that did cross my mind too.

    The reason they might think about this is that video conferencing seems to have become very popular over the past month or so.  I was thinking that there might be a market for a device that … then I remembered the iPad.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 20
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,621member
    Perhaps it would just be a better idea to move HomePod and ATV into a full TV with pop up camera tracking and add that to the product matrix. Keep the HP and possibly the rumoured smaller version and then let market forces decide. 
  • Reply 15 of 20
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,275member
    Not hard to find this. If you're bored, look at the analytics data that you either choose to send or not send to Apple. I don't pretend to understand what it means, but "TVOS13.4" is all over those files.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 20
    razorpitrazorpit Posts: 1,796member
    You’re going to be able to pair them with Apple TV as left and right channel like Roku’s speakers (can you not do this already?) and they’ll sell a bunch. I just hope it’s not exclusive to the yet-to-be-released Apple TV upgrade.
    They’ve already been able to do this, since launch even I think. 
    You could, I did. When it worked it was incredible. As others have stated the key was when it worked.. It has gotten a lot better lately but still have goofy things happen from time to time like they suddenly stop responding to the volume buttons on the remote. I usually leave the TV on just a little bit lower than the speakers to have a fake surround sound. And from time to time you have to physically get up and manually adjust the volume on the HomePods .
    bsimpsen said:
    This might explain why my TV 4K finally connects to my HomePod every time now.  It was driving me nuts before.
    So, in that case, it's good!  Might be coincidence, but it never worked right before.
    It's still not working for either of our AppleTV/HomePod setups. It's a complete mess. We have to re-link the TV and HomePods several times per evening. Simply switching out of one app and into another dumps or screws up the pairing.

    I like how it suddenly blasts the sound if you’re on a movie’s main menu. Nothing like waking the kids up from a deep sleep late at night.fastasleep said:

    Just one example: I tried searching for the (hilarious) show “Documentary Now!” but Siri is unable to find it because of the exclamation point in the title. How could Siri be that bad? Unbelievable. 
    Did you try yelling it?
    Some of my favorites, “Siri add garbage bags to the Costco list.” “I’m sorry you don’t have a Kostco list.” It’s usually at this point the wife laughs and several attempts later Siri will either finally do it, or I’ll tell my 3 series watch and it nails it every time.daven said:
    Rayz2016 said:
    They should add a mesh router. 
    That would be cool. I also saw a suggestion somewhere that it could also be turned into the new Apple TV with a HDMI output. With the latest processor it could be a speaker, a mesh router, an AppleTV, a gaming console. Hmm... Just like the introduction of the iPhone... A speaker, a mesh router, an AppleTV, a gaming console.... That said, considering they laid off their router design staff, I don't see that happening. But it would be fun.
    Still can’t believe Apple gave up the network stack. Of all things to keep going even if it wasn’t a huge profit center, you don’t give up your ability to control the heart of your network security. Of all the things people want to criticize Tim for, this is one thing they need to criticize him for.
    Alex1N
  • Reply 17 of 20
    Could you imagine a 70" TV and a little black AppleTV with two smaller HomePod speakers on either side and only one improved Apple remote?

    Perfect!

    Right now, I have to turn on the TV with my TV remote, turn on the separate Sanyo POS speaker with another remote and then turn on my AppleTV with the Apple remote. Once I'm there, at least I can put the volume up or down using the Apple Remote. If I pause it too long, I have to go thru this process again. Ugh!

  • Reply 18 of 20
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member

    Just one example: I tried searching for the (hilarious) show “Documentary Now!” but Siri is unable to find it because of the exclamation point in the title. How could Siri be that bad? Unbelievable. 
    Did you try yelling it?
    Hahaha. So.. just for fun I just tried that, didn’t work. I also just tried “find show documentary now exclamation point” and “documentary now exclamation point” ..both results showed up on the screen correctly as “documentary now!”, but both attempts, somehow, completely failed. So bad. 
    So is the show available outside of the IFC app? Is the IFC app integrated in Siri search? 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 20
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    Could you imagine a 70" TV and a little black AppleTV with two smaller HomePod speakers on either side and only one improved Apple remote?

    Perfect!

    Right now, I have to turn on the TV with my TV remote, turn on the separate Sanyo POS speaker with another remote and then turn on my AppleTV with the Apple remote. Once I'm there, at least I can put the volume up or down using the Apple Remote. If I pause it too long, I have to go thru this process again. Ugh!

    Have you tried linking your TV power to your ATV? I had that working for a while, and I think it stopped and I need to set it up again, but it worked well when it did. At least saves one step. 
    watto_cobra
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